Electromechanical vibratory massage apparatus.



PATENTED DEC. 27, 1904.

, G. ADAMS-RANDALL. ELECTROMEOHANIGAL VIBRATORY MASSAGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION IIL ED JAN. 9. 1904.

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ELEGTROMECHANICAL VIBRATORY MASSAGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9. 1904.

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. H J igly ZflJZzed'd'ed/ java/afar (ti/M4 (Zara Mala/110122011 UNITEDSTATES Patented December 27, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

CHARLES ADAMS-RANDALL, OF NE'W YORK, N.

Y., ASSIGNOR TO RANDALL OF NEIV YORK.

ELECTROIVIECHANICAL VIBRATORY MASSAGE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,621, dated December27, 1904. Application filed JanuaryQ, 1904. Serial No. 188,369.

To all whom, it ntfty concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES ADAMS-RAN- DALL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in New York city, in the county of New York 5 and Stateof New York, have invented new and useful Improvements inElectromechanical Vibratory Massage Apparatus, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to electromechanical IO vibratory massageapparatus, and has for its object to produce a simple and portableelectromechanical apparatus for applying vibratory massage to the humanbody to stimulate the action of the blood and create an excita- 5 tionof the skin and muscles and for the treatment of muscular, nervous, andother diseases generally. I

To these ends my invention consists in the features and in theconstruction, combination,

Z and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and particularlypointed out in the claims following the description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, .forming a part of this specification,wherein- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation illustrating one form of myinvention. Fig. 2. is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 1.Fig.

3 is a detail sectional viewillustrating amodification. Fig. A is adetail view illustrating 3 another modification. Fig. 5 isapartiallydiagrammatic and partially sectional View illustrating a stillfurther modification. Fig. 6 is a detail view, partially in section,illustrating another modification. Figs. 7 and 8 are views illustratinga still further modification, and Fig. 9 is a detail sectional viewillustrating a slightly-modified construction of the hammer andpresser-foot.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings,

4 the numeral 1 indicates in a general way an electric motor, thenumeral 2 indicating the field thereof, and the numeral 3 is thearmature. Mounted on the shaft 4 of the armature is a cam 5, which, asshown in the drawings, is elliptical in shape, or, in other words, isdouhleended, so that during each complete rotation of the cam it actstwice. Attached to the frame of the electric motor is a handle 6, bymeans of which the motor and its attached parts may be moved over theparts of the body to which the treatment is to be applied. To the bottomof the frame of the motor is aflixed a plate 7, and attached to saidplate is an upright tube 8, in which is arranged a rod 9. The rod 9 atits lower end projects through a suitable aperture formed in the bottomof said tube and at its upper end has fixed thereto a button 10. A pin11 is fixed in one side of the said button and projects laterallytherefrom and extends through a suitable slot 12, formed in one side ofthe tube 8. Arranged around the rod 9 is a spiral spring 13, one end ofwhich bears against the under side of the button 10, but is unattachedthereto, and the other end of which rests against the bottom of the tube8. A pin 1 1 operates to limit the vertical movement of'the rod 9 andalso prevents the rod from turning. Attached to the bottom of the rod 9in any suitable manner is a cap 1 1, which in the figures of thedrawings alluded to is shown as consisting of a cylindrical piece ofmetal which is screwed on the lower end of said rod. Adapted to beremovably connected to said cap is a hammer comprising a body 15,provided on its periphery with a series of spring-fingers 16 and on itsunder side with a hammer-head 17, said fingers being arranged to graspthe exterior of the body portion 14., whereby the hammer is held inplace by friction. The hammer-head 17 is preferably rounded, as shown,and may be formed of any material most suitable for the purpose.Attached to one side of the under portion 7 of the frame of theapparatus is a dependingcylindrical stud 18, and fitted on said stud isa tubular support 19, which has attached to its lower end a presser-foot20, consisting of a plate which is suitably apertured, as at 21, topermit of the passage therethrough of the hammer 17. Fixed transverselyin the stud 18 is a pin 22, which projects through a slot 23, formedvertically in the tubular portion 19 of the support, said pin operatingto prevent any lateral movement of the presser-plate, so that the latterwill always be held in correct relationship to the hammer 17. Theelectric motor will of course be connected by suitable wires with anysource of electric energy such as a battery, for example or the wires ofcourse may be connected up with an electric-lighting or the motor, thelatter causes the cam 53, fixed upon the armature-shaft, to rotate withgreat rapidity, and as said cam moves past the but ton 10 it willoperate to violently depress said button, and with it the rod and thehammer carried by the latter. As the low portions of the cam pass thebutton, the lattertogether with the hammer, will be elevated by thespring 13. It will be thus seen that during each revolution of thearmature-shaft and the cam fixed thereon the rod and its hammer will bedepressed twice, and as the motor of course rotates very rapidly therewill be a continuous pulsatory movement of the ham mer upon the cuticleor muscle or muscles to which the presser-foot may be applied. Therewill thus be produced aspecies of hammering effect consisting of a veryrapid vibratory or pulsatory movement of the hammer or contactpiece uponthe body.

As shown, the hammer 17 projects through the aperture in thepresser-foot, and the latter operates to sustain the weight of theapparatus and also serves to absorb the vibrations of the apparatus,which otherwise would be transmitted to the hand of the operator. Thevibrations in the machines now employed operate to fatigue the operator;but by means of the presser-foot constructed as described they arealmost entirely prevented. The tubular upright 19 in practice will befitted on the pendent support 18 with sufficient frietional tightness toenable the presser-foot to be held in any position to which it may beadjusted.

Instead of the hammer 17 (shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings) the aperturein the presserfoot 21 may be made much larger and on the foot 21 theremay be secured a contact-piece or massagecup 25, constructed of rubberor any other material suitable for the purpose.

It will be obvious that by detachably securing the contact-pieces,massage-cups, or hammers to their actuating mechanism in the mannerdescribed there may be interchangeably used hammers particularly adaptedfor individual casesfor example, upon the muscles of the limbs of thehuman body. For the treatment of the face or other ultra-sensitiveportions of the body it may be necessary to use hammers orcontact-pieces that would be much less violent in their action, and bydetachably attaching the hammers or contactpieces in the manner shownand described it is possible to attach to the apparatus a contact-pieceor hammer suitable for the particular purpose in hand.

In Fig. 3 the tubular casing 8 is shown as extending through the bottom7 of the motorframe and is provided exteriorly with a collar or flange26, that is secured to said frame in any suitable manner-as, forexample, by screws 27. The reciprocating rod in this arrangementisformed in two separate sections 28 and 29, the coil-spring 30 beingattached at its upper ends to the button 10 and at its lower endnormally rests lightly and with little or no tension upon a pin 31,extending transversely through the rod 29. The lower end of the rod 29extends through the bottom of the tubular casing and has attached to itslower end ahammer 32, which projects through the aperture 33 in the foot34:, which in the present instance is shown as being cylindrical andattached to the lower end of the cylindrical casing 8 by means ofspring-fingers in the manner before described. In this form of devicethe hammer normally projects through the tubular presser-foot, thedistance it projects therethrough being limited by the pin 31 coming incontact with the lower end of the cylindrical casing. In such normalposition the pin 31 is out of contact with the lower end of the coiledspring. The movement, therefore, of the hammer is limited by the pin andthe upper part of the hammer coming in contact with the lower end of thecylindrical casing and also by the lower part of the hammer becomingflush with the bottom of the presser-foot as the hammer is pressed inand upward when in contact with the body or other surface with properpressure. It will be understood, of course, that the button 10 is to beactuated by the cam arrangement shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and asthe cam rotates the spring is compressed by the downward movement of thebutton, the tension thereof causing the hammer to be vibrated, whichvibrations are communicated to that portion of the body being treatedand upon which the hammer may rest. In this arrangement the hammer isdetached and independent of the other operative parts and is yieldinglyactuated. Also as the upward movement of the hammer is restricted unduepressure cannot be put upon the spring to efiect the movement of thecam, and for this reason the presser'foot may be removed and a removablepiece of softrubber tubing 34; may be placed on the hammer 82, asshownin Fig. 4 of the drawings, for the purpose of communicating agentle vibratory action upon the face or other sensitive parts of thebody that may be sore or inflamed.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings the motor isconstructed in the form of the well-known automatic electromagneticvibrator comprising an electromagnet 35, armature 36, springcontact-piece 37, secured to the armature, and the adjustablecontact-screw 38, held in a support 39. The armature is suitablyfulcrumed, as at 40, and is provided with a regulating-screw 41 forlimiting the movement of the armature. In this arrangement thecylindrical casing 8 projects through the base 7 of the motor, in themanner shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and the rod 42 is provided atits upper end with the button 10 and at its lower end with a hammer 43,which is removably attached to a head 44 by springfingers As beforedescribed with reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings, a presser-foot 46 ismade tubular in shape and is detachably connected to the bottom of thecylindrical casing 8 by means of spring-fingers 47. The apparatus isalso provided with a handle 6 in the manner before described withreference to Fig. 1 of the drawings. The battery and circuit foroperating the motor are preferably arranged as follows: The numeral 48indicates the battery, divided into three sections a 0. One side of thesection 0 of the battery is connected by a conductor 49 to thebinding-post 50, and leading from the other sides of each of thesections of the battery are wires 51, 52, and 53, which are respectivelyconnected to contacts 54, 55, and 56. Said contacts are adapted to beseparately engaged by a switch-lever 57, which is connected by aconductor 58 with the binding-post 59. The circuit is traced as follows:Starting from the battery the current passes to the support 39, screw38, spring 37, normally in contact with 38, wire 60, through the coilsof the magnet, thence by wires 61 and 5S and switch-lever 57 back to thebattery. This will set up a rapid vibration of the armature after thewellknown manner of a vibrating bell and the armature will be caused tostrike a rapid succession of blows on the button 10, and thereby vibratethe hammer. It will be readily apparent that by shifting the switch fromone to the other of the contacts 54, 55, or 56 one, two, or threesections of the battery may be thrown into action, according to theenergy that it may be desired to apply to the motor.

In Fig. 6 I show a still further modification. In the arrangement shownin said figure instead of employing the vibrating arrangement of partshereinbefore described and for the purpose of producing frictionalmassage a friction-wheel 62, formed of any suitable material, is fixedupon the armature-shaft 4 and a presser-foot 63 is attached to the frameof the motor. The frictionwheel protrudes through the aperture formed inthe presserfoot, and said prcsser-foot operates to prevent unduefriction upon the person being treated.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have illustrated astill further modification. In theconstruction shown I in said figures two or more arms 64 projectradially from a hub 65, fixed on the armature-shaft 4 of the motor, andin the outer ends of said arms are formed rests or sockets 66, in whichare loosely fitted the stems 67 of hammer-heads 68, pins 69 being fixedin said stems and projecting loosely through slots 7 0, formed in thearms 64. Fixed on the upper end of the frame of the motor is alaterallyprojecting apertured plate 71, and arranged over said plate isa sheet of flexible material, such as vulcanite or the like. As thearmature-shaft and the arms 64 rotate the hammers are thrown radiallyoutward by centrifugal action and through the aperture in thepresser-foot, said hammer striking against the sheet of vulcanite orother material and through the latter communicating the massagetreatment to the body of the patient.

It will be observed that in all of the different forms of apparatusshown and described the different forms of the presser-foot are readilyremovable and interchangeable for the purpose of adopting the particularform of vibrator best adapted to individual cases and also for thepurpose of enabling the parts to be sterilized or disinfected, and thesame remarks apply with equal truth to the different forms of hammers,contact-pieces, or massage-cups. The presser being made adjustableserves in a manner to determine the force of the vibratory effects andprevents the vibrator bearing upon the body too forcibly and, as beforedescribed, takes the weight of the apparatus ofi of the hands of theoperator and overcomes the vibration usually communicated to the handand arm of the operator.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a massageapparatus, the combination with a casing, of an electric motor containedtherein, a massage device carried by the easing and actuated by saidmotor, and a presserfoot connected to the frame of the motor throughwhich presser-foot the massage device projects, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a massage apparatus, the combination with a casing adapted to beheld in the hand of the operator, of an electric motor contained withinsaid casing, a massage device carried by the casing and actuated by saidmotor, and a presser-foot adjustably connected to said casing throughwhich presser-foot the massage device projects, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a massage apparatus, the combination with a casing, of an electricmotor contained in the casing, a massage device loosely engaged by themotor, the motor operating to project the said massage device in onedirection, and a retractile means Within the casing operating to returnthe massage device in opposition to the movement thereof by the motor.

4. In a massage apparatus, the combination with a casing, of an electricmotor contained therein, a massage device having loose engagement With apart of the motor for reciprocating operation, and a resilient meanscooperating With the massage device in opposition to the movement of thelatter by the motor.

5. In an electric vibratory massage appa ratus, the combination With anelectric motor, of a hammer reciprocated thereby in one direction, aspring arranged to reciprocate the hammer in the opposite direction, anda presser-foot through Which the hammer is arranged to project,substantially as described.

6. In an electric vibratory massage apparatus, the combination with anelectric motor, of a hammer reciprocated thereby in one direction,aspring arranged to reciprocate the hammer in an opposite direction,apresserfoot through Which the hammer is arranged to project, and meansfor adjusting the presserfoot relatively to said hammer to regulate thepressure of the hammer on the parts operated on, substantially asdescribed.

7. In an electric vibratory massage apparatus, the combination With anelectric motor, of a hammer reciprocated thereby in one direction, aspring arranged to reciprocate the hammer in the opposite direction, anda removable presser-r'oot through which the hammer is arranged toproject, substantially as described.

8. In an electric vibratory massage apparatus, the combination With anelectric motor, of a hammer reciprocated thereby in one direction, aspring arranged to reciprocate the hammer in the opposite direction, anda removable and adjustable presser-foot through Which the hammer isarranged to project, sub stantially as described.

9. In an electric vibratory massage apparatus, the combination With anelectric rotary motor, of a cam fixed on the armature-shaft of themotor, a reciprocating rod arranged to be moved by said cam in onedirection, a springfor moving the rod in the opposite direction, and ahammer attached to the free end of said rod, substantially as described.

10. In an electric vibratory massage apparatus, the combination with anelectric motor, of a reciprocating rod, a double cam on thearmature-shaft for moving said rod in one direction, a spring for movingsaid rod in the opposite direction, a head on the free end of said rod,a hammer provided With spring-fingers constructed to detachably hold thehammer to said head, substantially as described.

11. In an electric vibratory massage apparatus, the combination With anelectric rotary motor, of a cam fixed on the armature-shaft of themotor, a movable contact-piece arranged to be engaged by the cam to movesaid piece in one direction, a presser-foot, a hammer normallyprojecting through said foot, and a coiled spring disposed between saidcontact-piece and hammer, said spring being arranged to depress thehammer, and raise the contact-piece, substantially as and for'thepurpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CHARLES ADAMS-RANDALL.

WVitnesses:

H. M. MoUREY, H. J. HALL.

